·
Thursday, 29 November 2007
The Annual, Let’s
Let-Friends-&-Family-Poke-Fun-at-Us
Yep it is that
time of year again! I happen to enjoy
receiving the annual holiday letters people send out. The kind of letter that tells all the
wonderful, delightful things that happened during the past year and usually
never mentions illness or sad event or children gone wild, etc.
To me, the focus
of the annual holiday letter is much like what happens when when goes through
the experience of child birth. When you
are looking down at the blessed child, the memories of those long hours of
excruciating labor disappear from memory and all you see is the wonderful baby,
the joy of your life. The memory of
labor softens and may even disappear, otherwise we would never have the courage
to give birth again.
So, I look forward
to reading about all the pleasures and joys people lovingly fill their annual
holiday letter with.
What really sadden
me are those greeting cards that arrive without even one line of text.
Impersonal or otherwise, I want to hear about the lives of those around me.
I also want to
share the life I have too. Poke fun if
you will.
I find life so
amazing, so rewarding. Even the most
mundane things hold my interest and motivate me. The act of washing the dishes is pleasurable
and gives me promise of other gentle pleasures.
The warm water and the beautiful soapy bubbles, the thoughts of friends
and family sharing a meal on the plates…washing dishes is a time of reverie.
So, here’s to the
annual holiday letter…and many more!
·
Wednesday
Eight Things…
·
Sunday
Up the Mountain We Go!
My anxiety level
was high as we began the trip home. Of
course climbing mountains seems better than he feel of caroming down, down,
down around curves and weaving through traffic and reading the signs about
brake lanes and steep grades.
So I was armed
with knitting needles and had the radio tuned into NPR. I focused on the handwork and the word
pictures spilling out of the radio. I
mentally prayed, affirming that God guards, guides and governs us.
No sweaty palms
this trip.
·
Saturday
Chinese Food, Friends, Monopoly and the
Birthday Girl Goes Double Digit
·
Friday
Googlewacking, Guitar Heroes, Gingerbread
Houses and Samores
·
Thursday, 22 November 2007 - Thanksgiving
Day!
Catch, Clue
·
Wednesday, 21 November 2007
This workday ended
early. Thank goodness. The day before a holiday, I become as unfocused
as any kid you could name. I am ready to
be on vacation, ready to relax.
Even during the
many years I was really rater Type-A, ticking thigs efficiently off my personal
checklist, I would feel the spirit of the upcoming holiday penetrating my subconscious. My strategy for coping with it? Have a rather mindless task to accomplish –
what I often call “factory work”.
So on this
Wednesday before my favorite holiday of the year, I sat folding a stack of 300
annual appeal letters and stuffing them into envelopes. By noon the task was accomplished and the
letters were on their way to donors.
My industriousness
(or my jubilant attitude) did not go unnoticed.
By 1 PM, the Executive Director decided to free the hounds! We could leave for the holiday weekend.
By 2PM my cowboy
spouse, Miss Zia, and I were headed south enroute to
I had never
traveled down the mountain from
I try not to gasp,
since those sounds tend to disturb the driver, so I sublimate by singing or
humming tuneless songs. It is better if
the radio plays programs I can concentrate on, but somehow adio stations in
mountainous areas are useless. So I
fretted and hummed, punched my pillow and tried hard not to open the passenger
door and leap out into the darkness for some relief.
We arrived safely
at our daughter’s happy home. I was
grateful to get out of the car and to receive their welcome hugs.
Maybe we could
take the southern route (through
·
Sunday, 18 November 2007
Our bright red
crock-pot is hard at work making a savory soup for our Sunday lunch. My ever industrious and thoughtful spouse
chopped up all the ingredients as I washed up the breakfast dishes. (Yes, Mark prepared French Toast for
breakfast). Now I am catching up on
e-mail and correspondence while the local NPR station keeps me apprised of
world events. Miss Zia snoozes on her
palette by my desk, happily tired from our long morning wanderings in the
bright brisk
I am in a state of
anticipation as I tap away on these keys.
Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday is upon us and I am eager to prepare for
our trip. We will celebrate Thanksgiving
and or granddaughter’s birthday down in
I am also
anticipating the joys of pulling out the Christmas boxes that we brought with us
for our year in
I love these quiet
days when we can just relish the simple pleasures of life. I love the sense of home we have and the
gentle rhythms of the day.
Like Dorothy (Re:
Wizard of Oz) says; “There’s no place like home.” And even more important is
the second part of the lesson: that you never have to go looking for it.
Mark and I are
home and there is no place I would rather be.
·
Friday, 16 November 2007
Ariel views of Kerch
This photo shows where our Kerch-home, our
Peace Cops site, was (is). On the left
is the eastern-most tip of Crimea, the Kerch Straits and on the right,
Reports on the
recent storms say, dying dolphins are washing up on the beaches…the wildlife
refuges for endangered species in Crimea are suffering…30,000 birds are drowning
in oil spills from the negligence of the Russian sailors.
This photo shows the actual seaside city of
What an experience
it was to live in
How sad to know
most of the world will do nothing to help them through the ecological
catastrophe that they are faced with.
·
Thursday 15 November 2007
My favorite
holiday will be almost history by this time next week. Thanksgiving feasts will be behind us by
then. We may be rolling on the floor (a
family tradition) and maybe belching and swearing-off certain foods and over
eating.
Yes, pumpkin pies
and turkey are a delight, but for me, it is the family and friends that make
the day. Even when we have been far from
family and friends, I find myself looking forward to the Thanksgiving
meal. It is a time when we can really
speak our mind…say what we think about our loved-ones….and what is it that I
think? Well, I am soooo grateful for the
wonderful people in my life that I fairly bust…I am at a loss for words to
describe them or to thank them for being part of the tapestry of my life.
Has anyone been so
blessed?
Can you guess that
this is my FAVORITE holiday?
Even in our two
Thanksgivings in
This year we are
in the wild, American West of dusty, dry northern
My favorite
holiday with my wonderful daughter and her family - together, enjoying the most
American of days together. Next week…
Life is just so
good….
·
Wednesday, 14 November 2007
Day Two on the Job…
Well – my second
day on the job and I must report disturbing news: my delightful “boss” has
decided to retire – next month!
When the
bureaucracy is flawed, we lose good people.
But, when
bitterness, anger, and pain dominate…it is time for good people to seek peace.
Life should not be
about toxins and anger… life is too short for that. When we are in pain, it is probably time to
move on…we should find ways to live with joy and delight….with a sense of
abundance.
I will miss this
remarkable (Rena) woman…I arrived a bit too late I guess…
·
Tuesday, 13 November 2007
Day One on my New Job!
My feelings are
mixed. My summer and fall days since
leaving
I have also spent
much time trying to simply stay in the moment; this in response to the sense of
having little control over my days. But
actually, living in the moment enhances experiences so it is a good lesson to
learn. It is, actually a lesson that one
must continue to consciously practice. I
am not sure one ever learns it once and for all.
Today marks my
first day on the job. It has been such a
long time since I kept official office hours.
I am apprehensive.
In my Air Force
days, I generally reported in at 7 AM.
That seems inconceivable to me now.
My work consumed me. I owned it
and took pleasure in all the minutia and details.
And at the end of
the engaging duty day, I often lingered a bit, trying to make the transition to
my evening adventures (taking classes: AA, BS and finally the MA). My life then was also filled with joys and
demands of home, family and friends. I
traveled frequently both professionally and personally and successfully juggled
soooo many balls….
How did I do it?
Can I do it
again?
Do I want to do it
again?
Will I soon become
immersed in the demands, challenges and opportunities of my project or have I
changed so much in recent years?
Stay tuned for
details…
·
Monday, 12 November 2007
My mind and my heart are in
Visit this NY
Times site for a slideshow:
E-Mail and the
Internet allow us to follow events almost as they happen. My Ukrainian friends from our English Club
responded to my e-mails with local details and Google Alerts sends me frequent
updates.
One of our friends formerly worked in the
port facilities. He observed that many
of the Russian ships are crewed with young, inexperienced sailors and the ships
themselves are aging and in need of repairs.
He commented that it is consistent with Russian attitudes about fate to
rely on a little luck in any endeavor.
It is also likely that damage is understated. This is another characteristic locals joke
about – official information is generally presented in a positive or
understated manner. (Remember
“‘Some 30,000
birds have died and it's not possible to count how many fish. The damages are
so great that it's hard to assess. It can be equated with an ecological
catastrophe,’ said Alexander Tkachev, the governor of the
I imagine being in
our cozy, one-room Soviet-era flat just one block from the
·
Sunday, 11 November 2007 – VETERANS DAY
I always think of
my Father on this day. Though I myself
am a veteran (21 years of active duty Air Force plus 3 more as a JROTC
instructor), it is my Father’s military commitments and contributions that take
center stage for me.
As we drive across
town to attend the local Veteran’s Day ceremonies I remember how my Father
always took pride in arranging for the events of the day. He was behind the scenes, making sure
uniforms were worn properly and that flag protocols were followed. He orchestrated the local events like a movie
director.
Dad served in
WWII. He left behind a wife and three
children to serve his country and fight on foreign soil in
After the war, Da
continued to be a part of things military.
He was instrumental in creating the Army National Guard unit in my small
Anyone who serves,
almost anyone, comes away changed.
Serving offers so many character developing opportunities. In many cases, one comes away with a larger
sense of community and family.
The local
Veteran’s Day events are well attended.
There is a sense of community, family, as we stand in the bright New
Mexico Fall sunlight and reflect on how one’s service changes lives; our own
and those around us. The speaker (a
young father recently returned from his second tour in
I silently observe
soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines exchange embraces and share
laughter. There is mutual respect and no
need for words.
We listen to the
echoes of “Taps” and a 21-gun salute. We
watch the fly-by, consider the words each speaker chooses to share, and we
salute the flag that is the symbol of our service. We remember those who died in service to our
country and we thank those around us for daring to serve.
“We make a living
by what we get, but we make a life by what we give,” said Winston
Churchill. He is right.
When we serve
something larger tan ourselves, we make a life.
When we serve, we honor life.
·
Saturday, 9 November 2007
In life you can never be too kind or too fair;
everyone you meet is carrying a heavy load. When you go through your day
expressing kindness and courtesy to all you meet, you leave behind a feeling of
warmth and good cheer, and you help alleviate the burdens everyone is
struggling with.
- Brian Tracy, author, motivational speaker
·
Friday, 9 November 2007
I catch up on
E-Mail and intermittently play with Miss Zia.
My loyal pound-puppy is glad I am home from my business trip. She nestles on her special quilt next to my
desk. As I type, she rests her muzzle on
the toe of my boot. When I glance at
her, she returns my look with soulful honey-colored eyes that somehow seem sad
even when her tail thumps gently on the floor.
She stays close by my side when I stray away from my desk.
She communicates
so much without ever saying a word.
·
Thursday, 8 November 2007
Sworn in: I’m a Soldier in the “War on
Poverty” Now!
We stand as a
group; right hands held up, palms facing forward and repeat the solemn oath:
“I, {insert name
here}, do solemnly swear, (or affirm),
that
I will support and defend the Constitution of
the
against all enemies, foreign and domestic;
that I will bear
true faith and allegiance to the same; that I
take this obligation
freely, without any mental reservation or
purpose of evasion;
and that I will well and faithfully discharge
the duties of the
office on which I am about to enter. So help
me God."
(Note that the last sentence is not
required to be said if the speaker has a personal or moral objection)
This is the same
oath I respectfully repeated when I enlisted in the US Air Force and when I
re-enlisted. It is the same oath sworn
(or affirmed) by Peace Corps Volunteers too.
Saying the oath
demands reverence and respect. I wish
there had been a bit more ceremony involved in this small moment.
Certificates and
lapel pins are handed out. Each of us
receives a grey polo-shirt with a
There is no
ceremony associated with distributing these items either.
“If I were queen”
I would administered the oath, and then present the certificates and pins as
each new
This simple
ceremony could be orchestrated easily and would not take much time.
It would have made
the event seem more like the commitment it is.
For most of the
volunteers, this is the first time they have taken such an oath. And such an event deserves some pomp and
circumstance.
There are hurried
goodbyes as people race off to the airport.
New fiends switch addresses and phone numbers.
The group quickly
disperses, taking box lunches with them.
By 3 PM I am back
home in
·
Wednesday, 7 November 2007
Classes, Discussion and Directions..
The day flies by
in a flurry of classroom activities. I
do not see the light of day. I feel
caught in a time warp.
The people at my
table are witty and quick to make quips or sing a few bars of songs. We doodle on our course materials; we debate
and chatter, and share ideas. We learn
and we laugh.
·
Tuesday, 6 November 2007
The day is filled
with classes. I have taught the same
material at various times in my career.
And as a former trainer myself, I enjoy observing them in action. The three trainers are dynamic and
capable. They seem to enjoy their work.
Later in the day I
take the shuttle bus across town to dine with my mother-in-law. It is a coincidence that we are both in town
at the same time.
After dinner and
conversation, we stroll in the park across from her downtown hotel. There is a unique monument that commemorates
victims of atrocities – it includes references to Babi Yar and
How is it there is
a memorial to these events in this place so far from where the incidents took
place? I do not know.
I flash back to
discovering a beautiful monument to the 9/11 incidents which took place in the
We are not as
isolated as we think.
·
Monday, 5 November 2007
I am Orienting…
The orientation
for Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) begins today. I drive down to
We arrive at the
hotel and discover there are 70 trainees from all over the
We go through the
in-processing line and turn in all the forms that allow the Human Resources
people to keep their jobs. Even with
computers and Internet, many organizations still want hard copies of forms.
The old paper file
is still used as a back-up for all the electronic files. Somehow the processes are not really
streamlined; and, in many cases, they are doubled. I do not mean to be curmudgeonly nor am I
anti-technology. I just wish
organizations could look harder at their processes.
As we stand in
line I observe my fellow trainees. We
are a diverse group. I hear voices with
accents from places like Arkansas and Oklahoma.
I see faces that are black and brown and red. No one looks apprehensive. There is lots of laughter and bantering.
Later, I find my
room and settle in. I have no
roommate. This is a pleasant surprise
since almost everyone else does. I am
grateful to have a private space. After
a long day of intense interactions with engaging people and challenging
material, I am often happy to be alone.
·
Friday, 2 November 2007
Flowers for Breakfast…
My cowboy wandered
in from the yard with a handful of purple asters, thoughtfully placed them in a
cunning little blue vase, and planted them next to my computer and the ever
present cup of usually cooling coffee.
He and Princess
Zia have been out in the run playing with the ever-so-enticing yellow tennis
balls that delight the dog so much.
There is nothing
like tossing a ball for an appreciative dog to remind you what joy is
like.
Except, of course,
having a husband who brings you flowers for breakfast.
Day Two of NaNoWriMo!
All across the USA, the annual 50K word
marathon is underway!
Yesterday I logged
about 2,000 words and had a fine time just letting my fingers fly.
I set my little
blue timer (one of my best investments ever!) for an hour and just started
tapping away.
No editing allowed
(my rule) and I try to keep ahead of my busy brain so the characters are
themselves and not me.
I like to imagine
all my fellow NaNoWriMo compatriots around the world indulging in this crazy
discipline.
·
Thursday, 1 November 2007 – Thanksgiving
Month!
Becoming Leader of the Pack…
Walking a dog
involves a certain mindset: the ability to project calm and strength. This is especially true when walking a dog
new to the family.
The dog and the
dog-walker can lean a lot about life from their new relationship.
The “trick” is to
show leadership. The dog must trust the
leader. This means the dog must put
aside apprehensions or urges and respect the leader to determine how to handle
situations.
This takes
strength of character, both for the dog and for the human. Trust, faith, and the related feeling of
respect, are never to grant.
Our morning walks
here are sometimes challenging. Miss Zia
and I cannot avoid the fenced guard dogs who do their jobs with vigilance. These dogs rush the fence as we walk by. They snarl, snap, lunge and flex their
muscles.
It can be
intimidating. It can be challenging.
My role is to project
calm leadership and confidence and to expect my own dog to reflect that calm
and confidence too.
When the dog
trusts me, she is free from fear and can act, rather than react.
The dog’s instinct
in this situation is to bark back, to attack, or to simply leave, dragging the
dog-walker off to safety.
If the dog-walker
assumes the role of pack leader, the leashed dog will learn to trust the
dog-walker instead of following its own instinct. This is powerful.
So, Miss Zia and I
are learning to walk past as if we are royalty.
I am the confident Queen and Zia the royal Princess. We do not acknowledge the peasants and their
yammering. We project our right to be
here. We command respect.
Well, not always,
but we are working on it.
The Metaphor…
How often, like
puppies, we humans are. We pull at the
figurative leash. As we go through life,
we bark, bluff, bully, lunge and otherwise try to be the leader instead of
trusting God to guard, guide and govern.
If we are calm and
confident and turn to God, he will protect us.
We can trust the Leader of the Pack.
We can listen to Father/Mother-God rather than our own limited mortal
instincts.
When we do, we are
free to express joy and freedom and gratitude.
No, I am not
saying humans are like God to their animal friends. I am saying that we can learn from our animal
friends and see the rewards that come from trust and faith; from putting aside
our limited mortal impressions of life, and turning to God to see the spiritual
reality.
That is life changing.
ab
TO
READ OCTOBER POSTS OR OTHER, OLDER ENTRIES,
RETURN
TO THE ARCHIVES ON THE LEFT.
FYI:
If you want to read about our
Peace
Corps Ukraine adventures,
start
with January 2005 - May 2007.
Now
we are in AmeriCorps/VISTA adventures
Right
here in Santa Fe, in the USA!
Life
is good!
ab
ab
TO
READ NOVEMBER POSTS OR OTHER, OLDER ENTRIES,
RETURN
TO THE ARCHIVES ON THE LEFT.
FYI:
If you want to read about our
Peace
Corps Ukraine adventures,
start
with January 2005 - May 2007.
Now
we are in AmeriCorps/VISTA adventures
Right
here in Santa Fe, in the USA!
Life
is good!
ab